Patience
by OtakuChild
Summary: Here it is...the long-awaited Joey/Mai fic that I promised you! No, I didn't forget, I just got horribly sidetracked. ^^' Joey and Mai are celebrating their anniversary, and Joey has a special present for Mai. PG for Malik's colorful language. ^_^


Patience   
By OtakuChild   
DISCLAIMER: I sold Yu-Gi-Oh! Last week to Intel.   
Malik: And if you believe her, here's something else you should know about her: _she invented the wheel!_   
*sigh*...Here it is! The long-awaited Joey/Mai fic! No, I did not forget! It's very hard to keep up two stories at a time with crappy corrupted windows, so I set this on the back burner. But it is here at last! WHEEE!!!   
I also don't own the song, "Patience," which is owned by whoever makes up Guns 'N Roses now.

This story is brought to you by...Chocolate Frogs!   
Malik: Chocolate Frogs are the coolest candy around!   
Tristan: Chocolate frogs are frogs made out of chocolate!   
*silence*   
*crickets chirp*   
Malik: *sweatdrops* No shit, Sherlock. _Anyway,_ Chocolate frogs look, sound, and act just like real frogs!   
*scene cuts to lots of chocolate frogs hopping around Mai, who is flailing her arms and shreiking wildly. The frogs are croaking loudly*   
Tristan: Each frog has a collectible card inside of your favorite witch or wizard!   
*Malik eats frog* Hey, I got Salizar Slytherin! Whopeee! *flies around the room*   
Tristan: Get chocolate frogs today at your local wizard candy shop!   
Bakura: The company that manufactures Chocolate Frogs is in no way responsible for the squeamishness of people who don't like frogs. 

Patience

"Karaoke? Joey, are you feeling alright?"   
Mai Valentine had a perplexed look on her face as she talked to her boyfriend on the phone.   
"I'm feelin' fine. C'mon, Mai, it'll be fun!" Joey replied in his bronx accent.   
"I don't know..." Mai had never been an overly huge fan of karaoke, mainly because, for some odd reason, people who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket were drawn to it like a manget.   
"Mai! You hafta come! Besides...it's our anniversary."   
Anniversary! Mai had completely forgotten! She'd gotten Joey his gift awhile back, and was glad she thought ahead.   
She grinned. "You have something up your sleeve?"   
"I'm not telling! You just have to trust me on this, love."   
Now she knew he had something up his sleeve, though she didn't let him know that. Joey's heart was in the right place, she knew, but he just wasn't good at hiding things.   
"Okay, I'll go. What time?"   
"Seven-thirty. I'll pick you up," said Joey.   
They exchanged goodbyes and I-love-yous and hung up. 

!.!.!.! 

Mai and Joey walked into the club at around eight in the evening. They spotted Tea, Yugi, Ryou, and Malik at a nearby table.   
"Oy! Jono!(1)" Malik yelled over the noise. "Over here!" He waved his hand.   
"Hey!" Mai yelled back. They joined the other four.   
"Hey, isn't today your anniversary?" Tea asked.   
"Yup!" Joey said proudly. "One whole year already."   
"A year? Wow," said Malik, who was sipping something that suspiciously looked alcoholic. Mai absently wondered how he managed to buy a drink without showing some form ID, seeing as Malik was under the legal drinking age. She came to the conclusion that either Bakura or Marik bought the drink for him, though when she looked around, she couldn't find any sign of the yamis. She put the thought to rest, and joined the current conversation.   
"Time sure flies when you love someone," she said.   
"It does," said Yugi. A slow song began to play. "Come on, Tea."   
Yugi pulled Tea up and the two went to the dance floor.   
Joey and Mai stood up. "You coming?" he asked.   
"No thanks," Ryou started, "We'll just be sitting-"   
"Actually," Malik interrupted, "We will be joining you, you see, we're trying to break Ryou of some of his shyness." He grinned at Ryou, and winked. Ryou blushed a deep red. Malik grabbed his hand and off they went.   
They danced quietly through the song, and the six met up with each other to dance to the fast songs. Joey quietly tried to slip away, but was caught by Mai, because poor Joey wasn't too graceful at times, especially when he was nervous.   
"Where are you going?" she asked.   
"Surprise. You'll see." He gave her a kiss and headed off.   
The remaining five continued to talk and dance, until the music stopped, and a girl with a mic took the stage at the front of the dance floor.   
"Hey ladies and gentlemen," she said. "How is everyone doing?"   
Several loud screams told the girl that everyone was happy.   
"Good!" she said. "Let's give a warm thanks to DJ Raven for the music!"   
Applause and cheering followed. A guy with black hair, surrounded by speakers and electronic equipment waved at the crowd. He was sporting a pair of headphones.   
"And now," she announced, "As most of you regulars know, it's time for our weekly Saturday night Karaoke. Our first number is a guy named Joey, and he'll be singing a special song to his girlfriend tonight!" More cheering.   
"So, without further ado, here is Joey Katsuya. Hit it Raven!" she yelled.   
And Joey took the stage, mic in hand. The opening chords of the song blared through the speakers.   
Malik jerked his head up, immediatley recognizing the song "Patience," by a band called Guns 'N Roses. A smile found its way to his face. "Go Joey!" he yelled.   
Joey scanned the crowd, found Mai, looked her straight in the eye, and started to sing. 

_Shed a tear 'cause I'm missin' you_   
_ I'm still alright to smile_   
_ Girl I think about you ev'ry day now_   


Mai's jaw dropped. Gods, her boyfriend could _sing!_ He had a bit of a scratchy voice(2), which had a sweet tone to it. It suited him well. He closed his eyes, moved with the music, and continued to sing. 

_Was a time when I wasn't sure_   
_ But you set my mind at ease_   
_ There is no doubt_   
_ You're in my heart now_

_ Said woman, take it slow_   
_ It'll work itself out fine_   
_ All we need is just a little patience_   
_ Said sugar, make it slow and_   
_ We come together fine_   
_ All we need is just a little patience_   
_ Patience_

Everyone was slow dancing and having fun. Yugi looked at Joey. "Typical Joey," he said, smiling. Joey loved his music, and he lisened to it in all of his spare time, when he wasn't at school, or dueling, or hanging out with Mai. Mai smiled at Joey. He was so sweet! She had no idea he could get this romantic. 

_I sit here on the stairs_   
_ 'Cause I'd rather be alone_   
_ If I can't have you right now I'll wait, dear_   
_ Sometimes I get so tense_   
_ But I can't speed up the time_   
_ But you know, love there's_   
_ One more thing to consider_   
_ Said woman, take it slow_   
_ And things will be just fine_   
_ You and I'll just use a little patience_   
_ Said sugar, take the time_   
_ 'Cause the lights are shining bright_   
_ You and I've got what it takes to make it_   
_ We won't fake it_   
_ Aah, never break it_   
_ 'Cause I can't take it_

_ ...little patience, mm yeah, mm yeah,_   
_ Need a little patience, yeah,_   
_ Just a little patience, yeah,_   
_ Some more patience.._   
_ I've been walkin' the streets tonight_   
_ Just trying to get it right_   
_ Tt's hard to see when so many around_   
_ You know I don't like being stuck in a crowd_   
_ And the streets don't change, but baby the names_   
_ I ain't got time for this game_   
_ 'Cause I need you,_   
_ Yeah but I need you,_   
_ Oh I need you,_   
_ Whoa I need you,_   
_ Ooh this time_

Mai had tears in her eyes. Joey took a bow as the crowd cheered and applauded and he walked off the stage. Mai ran through the crowd to find Joey, and Joey was doing the same. They met outside of the dance floor, and threw their arms around each other. Mai could feel Joey shaking. She looked up at him. He was blushing, and had an almost scared look in his eyes. She realized that it must have taken a lot for him to go up there and sing like that. He tried to string a sentence together, in vain.   
"Mai...I...uh...well..."   
She kissed him before he had a chance to snap or do something rash.   
"You're so sweet, Joey, you're the best boyfriend in the whole world."   
"You mean that?" Joey's eyes now had look of relief, because she'd liked his little song.   
"Yeah, I do. I love you."   
Joey smiled. "I love you too Mai. Happy Anniversary." 

!.!.!.!.!.!.! 

Everyone had said their goodbyes and gone home. Mai found herself in Joey's small apartment, one that he shared with Malik. Knowing what today was, Malik hand gone to Ryou's instead, and left the two of them alone. She liked it here, it was simple and warm, not overly lavish and boastful the way her house was. Parents can be annoying sometimes, especially when they happen to be very rich parents who feel the need to brag about their wealth. It was a trait in them that Mai didn't care for.   
She sad down on the bed.   
Silence.   
"Joey, I didn't know you could sing."   
"Well...I...um...yeah, I sing...sometimes." He looked at Mai.   
"Here," said Mai, taking a wrapped box from her purse. "It's your anniversary gift."   
"Oh! Thanks!" Joey grinned. He carefully peeled back the gold paper. Inside the box was a watch. It was gold, and had the date in small numbers and letters at the bottom of the small clock. Mai made sure the watch was of the highest quality, and that it could take all the banging around and daily wear and tear the Joey would give it, as he did to everything else he owned.   
Joey's eyes lit up. "Oh, wow! I always wanted a watch like this! Thanks Mai!" And he gave her another hug. She kissed him back.   
"Happy Anniversary," she said.   
And he held her in his arms, the two of them just enjoying each other's company. 

_______________ 

Wheee! Fluffiness!!! I hope everyone liked it. I just had to stick Malik/Ryou in there. They make such a kawaii couple! Everybody knows the drill! Read and review!   
Footnotes:   
(1)I refer to Joey's japanese name, and I used his last name, because dubbers are STUPID I TELL YOU!!! I figured Malik, being the flamboyant lovable Egyptian that he is, would march to the beat of his own drum and call Joey something different.   
(2)For those who know the song, his voice isn't nearly as scratchy and...um...screechy as Axl Rose.   
I stuck Malik and Joey in an apartment because I wanted to keep his abusive alcoholic dad out of the storyline. ^_^   
Ja ne!   
-OtakuChild   



End file.
